Special Enrollment

A special enrollment period is a time outside the open enrollment period when you can sign up for coverage or shop for a new plan. Certain life changes or special circumstances may qualify you for a special enrollment period. For events that don’t qualify for a special enrollment period, you’ll need to wait for the next open enrollment period to sign up or shop for a new plan. When you apply or report a change through Washington Healthplanfinder, your health plan shopping experience will depend on your qualifying life event.

Washington Apple Health enrollment is year-round and you don’t need a special enrollment period to apply. If you do not qualify for free or low-cost Apple Health, you can still qualify for a Special Enrollment to get health insurance if you have life changes that qualify you.

Qualifying life changes include if you lose job-based coverage, have income changes, have a baby, get married, have a new dependent, or have certain other life changes.

Examples of qualifying life changes

Adding a household member (dependent) to your application
Becoming a household member on someone else's application (dependent)
Losing a household member (dependent) or dependent status*
Filed or reconciled taxes for a year that you received health insurance premium tax credits
Existing enrollees who have a change in income of over $150 per month
Losing other health coverage (i.e., job loss, divorce, loss of Washington Apple Health or WSHIP coverage, etc.)
Permanently moving from a location in the United States to Washington, or to a new county within Washington, only if you had minimum essential coverage for at least one day within the 60 days before you moved
Permanently moving from a location outside the United States to Washington
A change in citizenship or lawful presence status
Getting released from jail or prison
Tribal membership
Gaining access to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) through your employer. More information about HRAs can be found here
Income changes that result in an individual being newly eligible for tax credits and cost-sharing reductions

*This is for currently enrolled customers only.

These changes do not typically count as a qualifying life event:

Choosing to stop other health coverage
Being terminated for not paying your premium
Finding out your doctor isn’t covered through your plan

Washington Apple Health enrollment is year-round and you don’t need a special enrollment period to apply.

If you are new to Washington Healthplanfinder and believe you qualify for Special Enrollment:
- Create an account and apply
- Fill out an application
- Fill out the Special Enrollment Questionnaire
- If you qualify, select and confirm your plan
If you already have an account or coverage with Washington Healthplanfinder and believe you qualify for Special Enrollment:
- Sign in to your account
- Select "Report a change" on the dashboard
- Fill out the Special Enrollment Questionnaire
- If you qualify, select and confirm your plan

Special Circumstances

Certain special circumstances may also qualify you for a special enrollment period.

Examples of special circumstances:

Survivors of domestic abuse/violence or spousal/domestic abandonment. Read more about survivors of domestic violence applying for coverage.
Errors of Washington Healthplanfinder (includes system errors that prevented you from getting coverage)
Customer working with Washington Healthplanfinder staff on an enrollment issue that did not get resolved before the end of open enrollment
Contract violation by the Qualified Health Plan
Additional exceptional circumstances as defined and approved by the Washington Health Benefit Exchange